Gabès Cinema Fen 2022: Art and the Act of Digging in Southern Tunisia

From May 23 to 28, 2022, the Gabès Cinema Fen festival unfolded in Gabès, Tunisia, focusing on the essence of art rather than just following traditions. Fatma Chérif led the festival, with creative input from Ikbal Zalila, Malek Gnaoui, and Mohamed Arbi Soualhia. One of the notable segments was 'Art et Pensée' (Art and Thought). A standout was 'El Kazma,' curated by Lebanese artist Rabih Mroué, exploring the relationship between visual media and events through works by artists like Hito Steyerl and Jean-Luc Godard’s 'Ici et Ailleurs' (1976). The festival also featured a look back at Lebanese director Ghassan Salhab's films, including 'The River (Al Naher)' (2021). Tunisian filmmaker Jilani Saadi won the Grand Prix for 'Insurrection,' along with a performance by masked artist Nuri and a rich selection of global films.